2020-21-AIC-Manual-with-schedule-1

In addition, the AIC makes recommendations to the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education OSHE with regard to matters such as licensure and re-licensure of out-of- State institutiona

Academic Issues

2020-2021

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Academic Issues Committee Manual

Table of Contents

I Academic Issues Committee Overview

A Purpose and Statutory Basis – page 4

B Committee Membership and Meeting Processes – page 6

C Membership and Calendar Information – page 7

II Changes to Academic Programs Requiring Academic Issues

Committee Review and Action

A Initiating a New Academic Degree Program

1 Steps in the Process – page 7

2 Possible Outcomes – page 10

3 Required Documents – page 11

a Program announcement – page 11

b Degree requirements – page 12

c Consultant report – page 12

d Institutional response to consultant report – page 13

e New Program checklist – page 13

B Converting an Option or Concentration to Full Program Status – page 13

C Changing a Degree Designation – page 14

D Locating an Existing Degree at an Approved Branch Campus – page 14

E Offering a Joint Degree Program Originally Approved to be Offered by Only One Institution – page 15

F Offering Independently a Degree Program Originally Approved to be Offered

as a Joint Degree – page 15

G Adding a New Partner Institution to an Existing Associate/Baccalaureate Degree Joint Professional Program with Rutgers University – page 15

III Changes to Academic Degree Programs and Certificate Offerings

Requiring Academic Issues Committee Notification

A Intent to Terminate a Program – page 16

B Termination of a Program – page 16

C Change in Nomenclature – page 16

D Initiation of a Program Option – page 16

E Certificate Offerings: Initiation, Change in Nomenclature, or Termination – page 17

IV Other Review in Which Academic Issues Committee Participates

A Licensure/Re-licensure – page 18

B Establishment of a Branch Campus – page 21

C Distance Learning – page 22

D Exceeding/Changing Mission – page 23

E University Status – page 26

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A Academic Issues Committee Membership/Contact List – page 29

B Academic Issues Committee Meeting Schedule – page 32

C New Jersey Public and Independent Degree Granting Institutions by Mission/Degree Level – page 33

D Consultant Report Guidelines – page 42

E Program Proposal Format – page 45

F Program Announcement Cover Page - 46

G New Program Checklist – page 47

H Converting Options/Concentrations Waiver – page 49

I Licensure Rules – page 50

J Charts

1 Termination of a Program J-1, page 75

2 Nomenclature Changes J-2, page 76

3 Initiation of Program Option J-3, page 77

4 New Certificates J-4, page 80

K Examples of Evaluations and Learning Outcomes Assessment Plans 81

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I Academic Issues Committee Overview

A Purpose and Statutory Basis

As defined by N.J.S.A 18A:3B-8 et seq., the New Jersey Presidents’ Council (NJPC) has the responsibility to review and make

recommendations concerning proposals for new academic programs, institutional licensure, and university status In order to effectuate this responsibility, the NJPC created the Academic Issues Committee (AIC)

The AIC reviews and makes recommendations to the NJPC on academic program proposals and changes in academic programs for New Jersey institutions, including new program proposals, conversion

of options/concentrations to majors, changes of degree designations, joint program offerings, and changes in location of offerings The AIC also must be notified by New Jersey institutions on matters of

programmatic change, including changes in nomenclature, termination

of programs, certificate offerings and option development In addition, the AIC makes recommendations to the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) with regard to matters such as licensure and re-licensure of out-of- State institutional programs, establishment of branch campuses, exceeding or changing programmatic mission, and the conversion to university status of a New Jersey institution

The statute specifically directs the NJPC to review new programs that exceed the programmatic mission of an institution and programs that demand significant added resources or raise significant issues of duplication of program offerings in the state Historically, the AIC has limited its review of new programs to these matters; however, the review of a new academic program is not expressly limited to these matters by the statute

Over the years, the AIC has been delegated responsibilities for other features of academic program review not expressly described in statute (e.g., conversion of an option/concentration to a major, change

of degree designation, joint degree program, and location of programmatic offerings)

The AIC makes recommendations to the NJPC which in turn makes recommendations/or comments to the OSHE on the following matters as it relates to new program development:

1 Proposals for new degree programs that exceed the programmatic mission of an institution Programmatic mission is defined as the level of academic degrees that an institution has been authorized

to offer

2 New degree programs that demand significant added resources or raise significant issues of duplication but do not exceed the programmatic mission of the institution or require a change in the programmatic mission (N.J.S.A 18A:3B-8(b), (c))

3 Upon referral from the Secretary of Higher Education:

institutional licensure, a change in the programmatic mission of

an institution, and university status ( N.J.S.A 18A:3B-8(b),(i);

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N.J.A.C 9A:1-1 et seq.; and established practice with OSHE)

4 Review of petitions from out-of-state institutions and recommendations

to the Secretary of Higher Education (N.J.A.C 9A:1-5.3(a)3)

5 Review of branch campus petitions and recommendations to the Secretary of Higher education if concerns are raised by New Jersey institutions of higher education (N.J.A.C 9A:1-6.2(d)2)

6 An institution proposing to offer at a branch campus a degree program not previously offered at the main campus shall submit that program through the AIC New Program Approval Process for NJPC review (N.J.A.C 9A:1-6.2 (f))

In addition to the statutory requirements and requests for input by the Secretary of Higher Education as detailed above, the NJPC has requested that the AIC also consider matters of quality There are two overriding principles in this review:

1 The AIC review should be for all action items (including requests for input from the Secretary)

2 When a consultant’s report is required, the AIC review will assess and validate the consultant’s report

For new program proposals and for licensure proposals, the quality review will assess and validate the consultant report, considering the following questions:

1 Is the consultant appropriately credentialed and experienced?

2 Is the consultant’s report a thorough and thoughtful analysis

of the program proposal?

3 For new program proposals, does the consultant’s report respond

to all elements required in the “Guidelines for Consultant Report” and respond adequately to the quality indicators? For licensure requests is the report responsive to licensure standards?

4 Were the consultant’s recommendations responded to appropriately by the institution?

In addition to a review of the consultant’s report, the AIC will consider the basic quality measures included in the consultant review (when required) and the program proposal to affirm quality with regard to:

1 Program Specifically,

a Are the program objectives sound and clearly stated?

b Are the learning outcomes adequately articulated?

c Is there evidence that a program review process is in place?

d Does the program fit within the institutional mission and its strategic plan and educational goals?

e Is the demand analysis convincing?

ii Is there evidence of meeting state licensure standards?

iii Is there institutional accreditation by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education? If not, what is the evidence of quality assurance?

2 Resources Specifically,

a Is the budget and enrollment plan reasonable?

b Are the facilities adequate, including library, laboratory equipment, technological infrastructure and computing?

c Are the faculty adequate and appropriately credentialed with the necessary scholarly/creative/research expertise?

d Is there adequate staff and administration?

B AIC Membership and Meeting Processes

1 Member Designees - Presidents appointed to the AIC may appoint a designee to attend AIC meetings who can vote on their behalf Such designation must be made in writing to the chair of the AIC This communication must include the designee’s name and title, and must confirm that the designee has the authority to vote and speak on behalf of the president at the AIC meetings It

is the responsibility of the president to ensure that he/she is informed of key discussions and actions of the AIC

2 While it is the responsibility of all members of the AIC to be fully informed on the action items that come before the AIC, two members of the AIC (in addition to the chair) will be assigned to each item that comes to the AIC for action The readers will be responsible for reading the item, ensuring that the materials meet the requirements for submission and for following up with the institution if further information is required Finally, the readers will present the action item to the AIC for consideration and will summarize the action, highlighting any significant points of interest

3 All presidents or designees are eligible to vote on action items before the AIC It is the responsibility of all members to express their support and/or concerns regarding items for consideration as

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they are presented AIC members will vote for or against an action item after each item has been presented A member may recuse himself from voting on the action if prejudice or conflict of interest exists (i.e the member represents the institution submitting the action) The member should abstain from the vote only when he feels he does not have enough information on the matter to support

or reject the action

4 Meeting minutes and NJPC action on AIC recommendations will be posted on the NJPC website within a week of the NJPC action

C Membership Roster and Calendar Information

1 Appendix A contains a current membership list of the AIC with contact information

2 Appendix B presents a current calendar for the AIC

II Changes to Academic Programs Requiring Academic Issues

Committee Review and Action

A Initiating a New Academic Degree Program

1 Steps in the Process All degree granting institutions, including the eleven independent institutions that do not receive direct state aid but excluding those institutions that are explicitly identified as "exempt" owing to the date of their charters (prior to April 1, 1887), will prepare a Program Announcement (PA) for every new degree program under consideration

The PA will solicit comments from other institutions of higher education and facilitate the work of the NJPC A list of the information required for inclusion in the PA is provided in Section II.A.3a (page 4)

Bloomfield College Centenary University Drew University Princeton Theological Seminary

University Saint Peters University Seton Hall University Stevens Institute of

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Technology

The institution is responsible for distributing the PA to all of the presidents of New Jersey higher education institutions Institutions are provided the opportunity to comment on issues related to program duplication, cost, mission, and related matters

Objections must be communicated to the proposing institutions within thirty days of receipt They must be substantive and relate to matters of program duplication, available resources, and programmatic mission

If objections are raised within the designated period, the proposing and objecting institutions should make every effort to resolve their differences informally in furtherance of the stated objective of interinstitutional cooperation If the differences cannot be resolved in this manner, the documentation with respect to objections will become part of the material forwarded to the NJPC for review

The institution is then charged with engaging an independent external consultant to conduct a site visit, review the proposed program and prepare a written report following the guidelines provided in Appendix D The selected consultant should have no past or present professional relationship with the institution proposing a new program that might imply a (perceived or real) conflict of interest Criteria for the selection of an external consultant are outlined in Table 1 The consultant’s report must be structured according to the guidelines in Appendix D

The institution's governing board must pass a resolution approving the new program The resolution must be dated

The institution then forwards the complete file, as an electronic document, to the Chair of the AIC The file should contain the PA (including Appendix F,

Program Announcement Cover Sheet), the governing board's resolution, the

consultant's report, the institution’s response to the consultant, and the new program checklist If objections were raised, comments from the objecting institutions, responses from the proposing institutions, and information regarding any efforts at reconciliation should be included

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TABLE 1 – AIC Consultant Selection Criteria

The following criteria should be considered in the selection of an external consultant:

1 Conflict of Interest:

There must be no conflict of interest or appearance of a conflict of interest with the institution under review There is a conflict of interest when the potential consultant:

a is a present or former employee, student, member of the governing board, owner or shareholder of, or consultant to, the institution that is seeking program approval;

b is a spouse, parent, child, or sibling of an individual or persons listed in (a) above;

c is seeking or being sought for employment or other relationship with the institution under review;

d has a personal or professional relationship with the institution under review that might compromise objectivity; and/or

e has a competitive relationship with the institution that might compromise objectivity

There must be a five-year period between the end of the relationship and any engagement with the institution to serve as a consultant (The only exception to this restriction is that the institution can hire the consultant

to review additional programs within the five-year period.)

2 Appropriate terminal degree in relevant field from an accredited institution

3 Academic or appropriate professional experience (administration and/or teaching) in the field

4 Research experience (where appropriate):

a Publications such as books and articles in refereed journals

b Recipient of research grants from external funding sources such as government agencies and foundations

5 Appropriate professional experience in relevant field(s) if program to

be reviewed has professional orientation (e.g., engineering, social work, law)

6 Knowledge of the state of the art of the field

7 Familiarity with standards for academic programs developed by professional accrediting agencies

8 Familiarity with existing programs

9 Awareness of employment possibilities of graduates

10 Knowledge of budgeting and financial matters - of critical importance if program to be reviewed would be expensive or represent a major shift in

an institution's educational mission

11 Experience in evaluating academic programs

12 Except in circumstances where specialized expertise is required, out-of-state consultants should be selected

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2 Possible Outcomes

a If the AIC determines that there are outstanding issues and/or questions remaining in regard to the proposal, the proposal will be returned to the institution for modification and/or correction before resubmission The AIC must provide specific reasons for the return of the proposal These reasons must be detailed and clear enough for the institution to remediate the program proposal Under no circumstances can the committee add concerns related to new issues after the first return of the proposal In its resubmission, the institution should provide responses to the issues raised

by the AIC and include a copy of the original proposal The institution may choose not to resubmit

b If the resubmission does not respond adequately to the committee’s concerns, the AIC may return the proposal to the institution for response Upon receipt of the second resubmission, the AIC will consider the proposal and forward its recommendation to the Presidents’ Council The Presidents’ Council, will inform the submitting institution of its action or,

in those instances requiring action by the Secretary of Higher Education, of its recommendation to the Secretary of Higher Education

c If the AIC determines that there are no outstanding issues and/or questions remaining in regard to the proposal, it will make a favorable

recommendation to the NJPC If the NJPC concurs, the result of a favorable review will be conveyed to the proposing institution within fifteen days and the program may be implemented

Notification of the favorable review of all new degree programs will be sent by the NJPC to the higher education community for information and to the OSHE and to the New Jersey State Department of Military and Veterans Affairs for record-keeping purposes A current inventory

of authorized degree programs is available on the OSHE website at:

http://www.nj.gov/highereducation/Program_Inventory/PI_Search.htm

The address and phone number for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is: State Approving Agency, Eggert Crossing Road, P.O Box 340, Trenton, NJ 08625; (609) 530-6849

d If the AIC identifies a concern with respect to a proposed program exceeding an institution's programmatic mission, it will make a recommendation to the NJPC which, in turn, will make a recommendation

to the Secretary of Higher Education who is responsible for final administrative decisions in this area A list of institutions by authorized program mission level can be found in Appendix C

e If the AIC identifies a concern with respect to a proposed program being unduly expensive or duplicative but not exceeding an institution’s programmatic mission, it will review and comment on the program, and may seek to resolve the differences through informal mediation or more formal steps, e.g., a hearing with appropriate notice

The AIC will make a recommendation to the NJPC If the NJPC determines that the program is unduly costly or duplicative, it will be referred to the Secretary of Higher Education for review If the Secretary does not disapprove

of the program within sixty days, the program will be deemed approved

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3 Required Documents

a Program Announcement The PA which must be circulated to all licensed New Jersey higher education institutions shall include the consultant’s curriculum vitae (criteria for the selection of an external consultant are outlined in Table 1), and must contain a cover page (Appendix F) and

narrative/descriptive information on the following:

1) Objectives Briefly summarize the program and indicate its objectives, e.g., the nature and focus of the program, the knowledge and skills students will acquire, any cooperative arrangements with other institutions or external agencies in offering the program

• State whether the proposed program exceeds the programmatic mission of the institution as listed in Appendix C

2) Evaluation and Learning Outcomes Assessment Plan for the program Evidence should be provided that appropriate evaluation and learning outcomes assessment plans are in place to measure the effectiveness of the program Present a concrete plan for evaluating the program in terms of curricular design, student achievement, program success, and stakeholder satisfaction

Describe who is responsible for oversight of the assessment and evaluation, including collection, analysis, and use of results to improve the curriculum In the case of accredited programs, an explanation of how accreditation standards and processes inform the assessment plan should be provided

Elements of the evaluation and assessment plan may include the following:

 Program goals or objectives (broad statements of the purpose of the program in terms of what students will be prepared to do with the credential)

 Student learning goals (more specific statements of how the program is designed to deliver the program goals and what students will learn)

 Student learning outcomes (specific statements of how students will demonstrate their achievement of the student learning goals)

 Map of the curriculum identifying courses and other learning experiences designed to deliver the intended student learning outcomes

 Student learning outcomes assessment methods or tools (direct measures of student learning such as exams, term papers, projects, practicums, standardized assessments, benchmarks, portfolios, etc.; indirect measures such as reflections, surveys)

 Program evaluation methods or tools (surveys, focus groups, job placement data, etc that will measure student and employer satisfaction; program success data, including enrollment and completion rates, admission to graduate programs, job

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placement data, student participation in conferences, etc.)

 Mechanisms to support the sustainability of assessment and evaluation processes (oversight and cycles for reporting, including department or college processes; institutional reporting requirements; and accreditation if applicable)

The learning outcomes plan should be shown in the form of a table Examples of evaluation and learning outcomes plans are shown in Appendix K

3) Relationship of the program to institutional strategic plan and its effect on other programs at the same institution

4) Need Provide justification of the need for this program

a) If the program falls within the liberal arts and sciences and does not specifically prepare students for a career, provide evidence of student demand and indicate opportunities for students to pursue advanced study (if the degree is not terminal with regard to further education)

b) If the program is career-oriented or professional in nature, provide evidence of student demand, labor market need, and results of prospective employer surveys Report labor market need as appropriate on local, regional, and national bases Specify job titles and entry-level positions for program graduates, and/or indicate opportunities for graduates to pursue additional studies

c) Describe the relationship of the program to institutional master plans and priorities

d) List similar programs within the state and in neighboring states and compare this program with those currently being offered

e) For doctoral programs only, supply a select list of distinguished programs nationally in this discipline

5) Students Estimate anticipated enrollments from the program's inception until a steady state or optimum enrollment is reached

6) Program Resources Briefly describe the additional resources needed to implement and operate the program during the program's first five years, e.g., the number of full-time faculty, number of adjunct faculty, computer equipment, print and non-print material

b Degree Requirements Provide an outline of the curriculum, including a list of the proposed courses and credits per course Indicate the total number of credits in the degree program and, for undergraduate programs, the number of general education credits

c Consultant Report The written report must be a thoughtful

detailed instructions refer to Appendix D, Consultant

Report Guidelines

d Institutional Response to Consultant Report The institutional response should be a thorough and thoughtful reply to each concern/recommendation raised by the consultant report

e New Program Checklist Institutions must complete a New Program Checklist to confirm that all the items have been

submitted to the AIC (Appendix G, New Program Checklist)

B Converting an Option or Concentration to Full Program Status When an institution proposes the establishment of a new degree program, whether or not the program existed previously as an option, the institution must follow the New Degree Program Review Process adopted in December 1994 However, when converting an existing option or concentration to full program status an institution may request a waiver from the full process In a waiver from the full process, review of the converted option/concentration by an external consultant is optional The AIC will review requests for waivers on a case-by-case basis

Under a waiver from the full process, the institution requesting the conversion of an existing option or concentration to full program status must send a Program Announcement (PA) to all other New Jersey institutions of higher education

• The PA must follow the same format and contain the same basic information as the PA for new academic degree

programs, including Appendix F, Program Announcement

Cover Sheet, and a listing of the courses with the required

credits

• The institution then submits a packet to the AIC which includes the PA; a statement of “no objections” or documentation concerning objections, response and reconciliation; and

Appendix H, Converting Options/Concentrations Waiver, which

describes the extent of the change proposed, including a history

of the option/program, enrollment patterns, courses offered, and faculty needs

If an institution’s approval process for the conversion of an option or concentration to full program status requires a governing board resolution, then a copy of the dated resolution must be included in

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the AIC packet If an institution’s approval process for the conversion of an option or concentration to full program status does not require a governing board resolution, then as applicable either a copy of other dated approval document, or a statement of the date of governing board acknowledgement must be included in the AIC packet

C Changing a Degree Designation

An institution seeking a change in degree designation (e.g., B.A to B.S.) must submit the following material to the AIC: a letter indicating why the modification of degree designation is desired and why it does not

fundamentally change the purpose of the program; a record of any significant changes in the current degree designation during the previous five years; and the proposed changes in the courses required for the degree The AIC will evaluate the material provided and assess whether

the following two conditions exist:

• There is a fundamental change in the purpose of the program

(e.g., a B.A in Music that has a liberal arts orientation cannot

be changed to a B.S in Music with an applied music orientation However, a B.A in Graphic Design might be changed to a B.S in Graphic Design because the field required the addition of technical courses.)

• More than 25 percent of the courses required in the major with the new degree designation will differ from those in the major with the old degree designation General education and free elective courses are excluded from consideration Fractions of courses are rounded up Requests for changes in degree designations for doctoral programs will be evaluated on a case- by-case basis

If the AIC determines that there is a change in the fundamental purpose of the program and/or more than 25 percent of the courses in the major will change with the new degree designation, the institution must follow the New Degree Program Review Process adopted in December 1994 All steps specified in Section II.A must be followed, including sending a PA to all other New Jersey institutions

of higher education

If the AIC determines that neither condition is met, the AIC will accept the change as an informational item and forward it to the OSHE as the repository of information about program status

D Locating an Existing Degree Program at an Approved Branch Campus Institutions are required to inform one another about off-campus programs, particularly in the county or region most likely to be impacted, and to address on an informal basis any concerns raised

The institution is also expected to inform the NJPC and, for recordkeeping purposes, the OSHE The institution must provide relevant background information on the move to the AIC, including evidence that the institution has the resources necessary to offer the

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program at the new site The AIC will review the information submitted

by the institution with respect to issues related to program duplication, resources and mission, and make a recommendation to the NJPC

E Offering a Joint Degree Program Originally Approved to Be Offered

by Only One Institution The institutions will inform the higher education community and provide information on the change in program status to the AIC, including evidence that the institution new to the program has the capacity (e.g., faculty, equipment) to offer the degree The institution offering the new program will also submit a copy of the governing body’s resolution to the AIC

In instances where the degree represents a significant change for the second institution, a consultant review of the proposed affiliation may be appropriate The AIC will review the information submitted

by the institution with respect to issues related to program duplication, resources, and mission and make a recommendation to the NJPC

F Offering Independently a Degree Program Originally Approved as a Joint D e gr e e Program The institutions will inform the higher education community and address any concerns raised on an informal basis It will provide information on the change in program status to the AIC, including evidence that the institution has the capacity (e.g., faculty, enrollment history, courses, equipment) to offer the degree on

a stand-alone basis The AIC will review the information submitted

by the institution with respect to issues related to program duplication, resources, and mission and make a recommendation to the NJPC

G Adding a New Partner Institution to an Existing Associate /Baccalaureate Degree Joint Professional Program with Rutgers University

Rutgers University and its existing partners will enter into discussions with the potential new partner and ascertain the (1) need within the program that the new partnership will fill, (2) whether the program is within the mission of the proposed new partner, (3) the ability of the new partner to offer the required general education courses, (4) general issues of faculty and student services, and (5) the impact, if any, on the new partner The governing body of the new partner must review and approve the collaboration by resolution

Rutgers University will circulate a notification about the proposed new partnership to all institutions of higher education in the state

The notification should include:

• a description of the current program and partnerships involved

• the reason for the new partnership

• the role of each institution in delivering the program and

• the approximate number of students expected to enroll through the new partnership Comments are to be requested concerning duplication, cost and mission If any objections are raised, Rutgers University will make every effort to resolve the issues

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Rutgers University will submit the following required information to the AIC:

• a copy of the new partner governing body's resolution

• a copy of notification to all institutions of higher education and all comments received in response

• documentation of objections, if any, from other institutions, Rutgers University’s response and the outcome

The AIC will review the submitted information with respect to issues related to program duplication, resources, and mission and make a recommendation to the NJPC

III Changes to Academic Degree and Certificate Offerings Requiring

Academic Issues Committee Notification

A Intent to Terminate a Program

In order to inform the higher education community, increase our understanding of trends in academic offerings, and enhance advisement to prospective students, institutions send a notice of intent to terminate a program to all of the presidents of New Jersey higher education institutions, the AIC, and the Secretary of Higher Education at the time the college ends the admission of new students to the program The college is not required to take formal action to terminate the program when it circulates the notice of intent

B Termination of a Program (see Chart in Appendix J-1)

1 If an institution decides to terminate a program, that action will be formally accomplished by a resolution of the governing board

2 A copy of the resolution will be sent to the AIC for its information

C Change in Nomenclature (see Chart in Appendix J-2)

1 A change in nomenclature involves no alteration in the degree designation (e.g.,

B.A to B.S.) or in the curriculum, admission, or graduation standards It

is simply a change in the name of the major to better reflect the program's purpose and content

2 If an institution decides to change the nomenclature of a program, that action will be formally accomplished at the college or university level

3 Nomenclature changes must be sent to the AIC for its information

D Initiation of a Program Option (see Chart in Appendix J-3)

1 If an institution decides to introduce a new program option, that action will be formally accomplished pursuant to the process in place at the institution for the approval of options In its

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submission of materials to the AIC, the institution should include

a copy of the resolution of its governing board

[NOTE TO COMMUNITY COLLEGES: Options to associate degree programs shall not differ by more than 18 credits from the base program Normally, options should differ from the base program by at least 12 credits, but an option that differs by 9 credits may be

acceptable if it demonstrates a clear change in program emphasis.]

When submitting new program options to the AIC, the institution should include a copy of the base/main curriculum with the courses and credits listed and also include a copy of the curriculum with the courses and credits listed for the new option The institution should highlight or note the courses that differ from the base program and list the total number of credit difference

2 Notice of the new option should be sent by the institution to the AIC for its information and to the New Jersey State Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

The address and phone number for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is: State Approving Agency, Eggert Crossing Road, P.O Box 340, Trenton, NJ 08625; (609) 530-6849

E Certificate Offerings: Initiation, Change in Nomenclature, or Termination (see Chart in Appendix J-4)

1 If an institution decides to initiate a new certificate offering, change the nomenclature or terminate an existing certificate program, those actions will be formally accomplished by a resolution of the governing board

[NOTE TO COMMUNITY COLLEGES: Certificate programs shall consist of 30-36 credits, including 6 credits of general education While community colleges may offer certificates of less than 30 credits, it is recommended that the colleges consider giving these course clusters a name that differentiates them from a certificate; for example, some community colleges refer to clusters of courses as Certificates of Achievement.]

2 A copy of the resolution and a cover letter with the CIP code of the certificate offering will be sent to the AIC for its information All Certificates will be included in the OSHE program inventory

3 Community college credit certificates over the 36 credit limit: A PA should be sent to the college presidents as required for new programs In its submission to the AIC, the college should include a detailed cover letter with the PA explaining the necessity for the number of credits required Outside agency requirements and licensure requirements should be explained The PA should include the resolution of the governing board and a list of the curriculum courses with the number of credits for each Colleges will not be required to submit a consultant’s

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report All of the information should be sent to the AIC for review

IV Other Review in Which Academic Issues Committee Participates

A Licensure/Re-licensure

1 Authority and Procedures

a Authority for licensure is by statute vested in the Secretary of Higher Education (N.J.S.A 18A:3B-14(b)) No entity may offer credit-bearing courses or degree programs in the state until it has obtained a license from the Secretary (N.J.S.A 18A:68-3) The

New Jersey Administrative Code (N.J.A.C.) Title 9A, Higher

Education, Chapter 1 contains the Licensure Rules (see Appendix

I)

b For in-State institutions that are accredited by an institutional accrediting body recognized by the U.S Secretary of Education, the Secretary accepts the granting or reaffirmation of accreditation as sufficient for continued licensure provided that the institution meets conditions specified in Licensure Rules OSHE staff have the option

to participate in such accreditation visits

c In the following cases, the Secretary conducts separate licensure reviews:

1) Licensure for new in-State institutions or in-State institutions that are not accredited by an institutional accrediting body recognized by the U.S Secretary of Education

2) Licensure for any out-of-State institution

2 Steps in the Process (For additional information about the

licensure process, please contact the Office of Licensure at the OSHE.)

a Institutions interested in obtaining licensure submit a licensure petition electronically to OSHE that conforms to the Licensure Rules and Guidelines for Preparing a Licensure Petition

b OSHE staff conduct a preliminary review of the licensure petition and may request additional information

c Upon receipt of a complete licensure petition from an State institution or an in-State institution, OSHE staff sends

out-of-a brief summout-of-ary of the petition, out-of-as well out-of-as informout-of-ation on how to obtain the petition from the OSHE website, to all New Jersey higher education institutions Institutions have

30 days to submit comments on the petition to OSHE

d OSHE staff review the petition and any comments submitted by in- State institutions, usually with the assistance of an external consultant or team of consultants that is mutually acceptable to the institution and staff

Appropriate consultants from comparable institutions in states other than New Jersey or the out-of-state institution’s

Based on the review of the petition and the results of the site visit, the consultants write a report describing whether the petitioning institution’s proposed offerings meet State

licensure standards in N.J.A.C 9A:1-1 et seq General

Standards;

N.J.A.C 9A:1-2 et seq., Degree Standards and

Programmatic Mission, and, if applicable, the standards in

N.J.A.C 9A:1-4 et seq., Proprietary Institutions, and N.J.A.C 9A:1-5 et seq., Out- of-State Institutions

The consultants can recommend (1) approval of the petition, (2) approval contingent upon the fulfillment of certain conditions,

or (3) non-approval

g The institution receives a copy of the consultant report and is asked to provide a written response to the report If

modifications are recommended, the institution must state how

it will address them

h Upon receipt of the institution’s response to the consultant report, OSHE staff sends the petition and all pertinent materials to the AIC

i The AIC must review the petition in the context of the licensure standards cited above The AIC assesses whether, based on the review, the institution satisfies the licensure standards listed above and make a recommendation to the Executive Committee or full NJPC The AIC can

recommend (1) approval of the petition, (2) non-approval, or (3) approval contingent upon the fulfillment of certain conditions, if the following criteria are met:

1) Where agreement to make a contingency recommendation does not violate any substantive rules, requirements or regulations of the State of New Jersey, Office of the Secretary of Higher Education;

2) Where agreement may be in the interest of one of more institutions of higher education in New Jersey without detriment to others;

3) Where agreement may incentivize activities or investments

on the part of external third parties or other out of state partners which will result in a benefit to students, faculty or the public in New Jersey;

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4) Where OSHE staff have conducted a review of a petition for a contingent approval and are satisfied that such request

would be in the interest of the State of New Jersey;

5) Where the AIC conducts a vote on such contingent approval pursuant to rules and procedures in effect for the committee

Upon receipt of the AIC recommendation, the NJPC is in turn responsible for making a recommendation to the Secretary of Higher Education concerning the licensure of the institution within 60 days of receiving the information submitted by the OSHE

Licensure and new program review are two separate processes with different purposes, criteria, and characteristics New program review involves assessment of cost and duplication because State resources are at stake But cost and duplication are not licensure standards (and duplication cannot be

considered because of the "Commerce Clause" of the United States Constitution) although OSHE staff do carefully examine the issue of "need" in the case of licensure petitions from out-of-State institutions or in-State institutions seeking initial licensure to grant degrees

j After the NJPC’s action, the Secretary reviews the recommendation from the NJPC and assesses whether the petitioning institution's proposed offerings meet the State licensure standards cited above

k When a currently licensed out-of-State institution seeks to establish an additional instructional site for its currently approved offerings, the institution shall electronically submit a formal request to the OSHE that shall include a statement justifying the need for the proposed instructional site and a description of the proposed courses/programs to be offered there The request shall also include evidence that the proposed programs/courses at the proposed instructional site are at least equivalent in quality to comparable programs/courses at the currently licensed instructional site and evidence that the institution has provided for effective monitoring and controls to maintain quality The request shall include evidence of the dedication of sufficient resources to implement and maintain the proposed instructional site without eroding the quality to ongoing programs and operations in the rest

of the institution The request shall also provide information on the standards in N.J.A.C 9A:1-1.5 through 1.12, with special attention to evidence indicating that the classroom, laboratory, computing, and library facilities are adequate; the provisions for administration, support staff, and student support services are sufficient; and the qualifications of faculty are appropriate

Upon receipt of a request for approval of an instructional

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site, OSHE staff shall provide to all New Jersey institutions

of higher education a brief summary of the request, along with information on how to obtain all materials related to the request from the OSHE website and an invitation to inform the Secretary within 30 days as to how they would

be affected by the proposed instructional site If no concerns are raised about the request during the 30-day comment period, OSHE staff shall forward the request directly to the Secretary for a determination on the request

If other institutions raise concerns about the proposal, OSHE staff will forward all materials to the NJPC for review and recommendation to the Secretary within 60 days The AIC assesses whether the institution has met the standards in the Licensure Rules for an additional instructional site and makes a recommendation to the Executive Committee or full NJPC The NJPC is in turn responsible for making a recommendation to the Secretary of Higher Education concerning the request for an additional instructional site within 60 days of receiving the information submitted by the OSHE

After the NJPC’s action, the Secretary reviews the recommendation from the NJPC and assesses whether the out-of-State institution's proposed instructional site meets the State licensure standards cited above

B Establishment of a Branch Campus

1 Authority The establishment of a branch campus by certain institutions must meet the statutory requirements at N.J.S.A 18A:3B-

65 The New Jersey Administrative Code (N.J.A.C.) Title 9A, Higher

Education, Chapter 1, Subchapter 6, Section 6.2, contains the regulations

governing the establishment of a branch campus (see Appendix I)

2 Definition A branch campus for a New Jersey institution is "a physical facility for a State college or a State university located out-of-State or out- of-country at a place other than the institution's principal campus offering one or more complete programs leading to a degree." Institutions that seek to establish a branch campus must submit the plan for the branch campus to OSHE for review and recommendations

3 Steps in the Process

a Standards for branch campuses are specified in N.J.A.C

9A:1-6.2 For guidelines about preparing a plan for a branch

campus, please contact the Office of Licensure at the OSHE

b When the OSHE receives a plan for a branch campus, OSHE staff provide to all New Jersey institutions of higher education a brief summary of the plan, along with information on how to obtain the plan from the

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OSHE website, and invite them to inform the OSHE within 30 days as to how they would be affected by the proposed branch campus

c If no concerns are raised about the plan during the 30-day comment period, OSHE staff forward the request directly to the Secretary for review and response In developing a response to the plan, the Secretary shall consider whether there is a need for the institution to acquire a branch campus and whether the institution has the financial capacity to support the campus

If other institutions raise concerns about the proposal, OSHE staff will forward all materials to the NJPC for review and recommendation to the Secretary within 60 days The AIC may assess whether there is a need for the institution to acquire a branch campus, whether the institution has the financial capacity

to support the campus, and the effect of the proposed campus on other institutions, as well as consider any other matters in regard

to the proposed branch campus that the AIC deems appropriate for consideration, including whether the proposed branch campus will be in compliance with the Licensure Rules at N.J.A.C 9A:1, and makes a recommendation to the Executive Committee or full NJPC The NJPC is in turn responsible for making a recommendation to the Secretary of Higher Education concerning the plan for a branch campus within 60 days of receiving the information submitted by the OSHE

After the NJPC’s action, the Secretary reviews the recommendation from the NJPC and will develop a response to the plan for the branch campus In developing a response to the plan, the Secretary shall consider whether there is a need for the institution to acquire a branch campus and whether the

institution has the financial capacity to support the campus

d An institution proposing to offer at a branch campus a degree program not previously offered at the main campus shall submit that program for NJPC review, as required for any new

program

C Distance Learning

1 Program Review and Approval for New Jersey Institutions

a As is currently the practice with traditionally offered programs, if a New Jersey institution wishes to offer a new degree program through distance learning, the program will be subject to the NJPC’s new program review process described in Section II of this document

b Distance learning degree programs offered at newly established off- campus sites are subject to the review or approval that is required for all programs at such off-campus sites; see Subchapter 6 of the Licensure Rules

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c Approval by the Secretary of Higher Education for distance learning programs offered by New Jersey institutions is required only if the NJPC refers these program for Secretary consideration due to an institution’s exceeding its programmatic mission or due to a NJPC determination that the program is unduly costly or duplicative

2 Approval for Out-of-State Institutions

a Out-of-State institutions that wish to offer credit-bearing distance learning with a physical presence in New Jersey must first be licensed by the Secretary with advice from the NJPC The review process is identical to that described in this document for licensure or re-licensure (Section IV.A.,

Licensure/Re-licensure)

b "'Physical presence,' means that an entity offers bearing courses from or conducts some portion of the learning experience at a location established in New Jersey

credit-by the entity, whether established directly or under the auspices of another entity or an institution." (N.J.A.C 9A:1-

1.2, Definitions)

c Out-of-State institutions that wish to offer New Jersey residents no other programs, except for distance education programs with no physical presence in New Jersey are not required to seek licensure from the Secretary

D Exceeding/Changing Mission

1 Responsibilities of NJPC and Secretary of Higher Education

a The NJPC has responsibility to "review and make recommendations to the [the Secretary] concerning proposals for new programs that exceed the programmatic mission of an institution or that change the programmatic mission of an institution" (N.J.S.A 18A:3B-8(b)) The regulations governing

programmatic mission are at N.J.A.C 9A:1-2.9, Exceeding or

changing programmatic mission

b The Secretary is responsible for "final administrative decisions over new academic programs that go beyond the programmatic mission of the institution and final administrative decisions over

a change in the programmatic mission of an institution."

(N.J.A.C 9A:1-2.9)

c New Jersey Administrative Code defines "programmatic mission" as "all program offerings consistent with the levels of academic degrees or certificates that the institution has been authorized to grant by the State Board of Higher Education prior

to July 1, 1994, or approved thereafter by either the [former Commission on Higher Education] or the Secretary [of Higher Education]." A chart in the appendices presents current

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programmatic mission by institution (see Appendix C)

2 Exceeding Programmatic Mission

a A New Jersey institution proposing a new degree program that exceeds its programmatic mission first submit that program to the NJPC for the new program review process described in Section II of this document

If the AIC determines that the program exceeds the level

of academic degrees that the institution is authorized to grant, it so informs NJPC, which must review and make a recommendation to the Secretary on that program

b OSHE staff, who may determine to obtain the assistance

of consultants who are mutually acceptable to the institution and staff, will evaluate an institution’s request

to exceed its programmatic mission according to the

following criteria Please contact the Office of

Licensure at the Secretary of Higher Education for information about the review process

1) The objectives of the proposed program(s);

2) The relationship of the proposed program(s) to the current institutional mission and the statewide plan for higher education, if applicable;

3) Demonstration of need for the program(s), including present and projected student demand for graduates;

4) The effect of the proposed program(s) on existing programs at other institutions;

5) The dedication of sufficient resources to implement and maintain the program(s) without eroding the quality of ongoing programs; 6) Appropriately qualified students, faculty, and administrators; 7) The quality of library holdings, facilities, and equipment; and 8) Evidence of strength compared with similar programs in the region and state (N.J.A.C 9A:1-2.9(a))

c OSHE staff provide the Secretary of Higher Education with the PA and the Presidents’ Council resolution, as well as a memorandum that summarizes the PA and the external consultants’ findings and recommendations The Secretary will then make a determination

on the request to exceed programmatic mission

3 Changing Programmatic Mission

a Traditional method 1) New Jersey institutions seeking to change their programmatic mission must first petition the Secretary of Higher Education for approval The institution specifies the scope of the proposed change, including long-range plans for mounting new degree programs that exceed the level of academic degrees

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currently authorized for the institution

OSHE staff review the request with the assistance of external consultants who are mutually acceptable to the

institution and Secretary’s staff For information on

the review process, please contact the Office of Licensure at the OSHE

2) Requests to change an institution's programmatic mission are evaluated based on the following eight criteria:

a) The objectives of the proposed mission change;

b) The relationship of the proposed mission change to the current institutional mission and the statewide plan for higher education;

c) Demonstration of need for the mission change, including present and projected student demand and demand for graduates;

d) The effect of the proposed mission change on existing programs at other institutions;

e) The dedication of sufficient resources to implement and maintain the proposed mission change without eroding the quality of ongoing programs;

f) Appropriately qualified students, faculty, and administrators; g) The quality of library holdings, facilities, and equipment; and h) Evidence of strength compared with similar institutions in the region and state (N.J.A.C 9A:1-2.9(c))

3) If, according to the evaluation, the institution satisfies the stated criteria, OSHE staff send the petition and all pertinent materials to the NJPC for review and recommendation to the Secretary The AIC's recommendation to the Executive Committee or full NJPC is based on its assessment of whether the institution meets the stated criteria for a change in programmatic mission

4) Pending review of the recommendation from the NJPC and review of petition materials, and the consultants’

findings, the Secretary of Higher Education will inform the petitioning institution of whether its request to change its programmatic mission is approved

b Expedited Method If an institution has received approval to exceed its programmatic mission for a particular degree level at least five times, the Secretary may, at the request of the

institution, authorize a change to the institution's programmatic degree level in order to allow the institution to offer new degree programs at the particular degree level for which the five previous exceeding mission approvals have been granted

2) Pending review of the recommendation from the NJPC, the Secretary of Higher Education will inform the petitioning institution of whether its request to change its programmatic mission is approved

E University Status

1 Authority The Higher Education Restructuring Act of 1994 charges the Secretary with making "final administrative decisions over university status giving due consideration to the

accreditation status of the institution" (N.J.S.A 18A:3B-14(d))

The regulations governing university status are at N.J.A.C

9A:1-3 et seq., Criteria for university status

2 Steps in the Process

a The petitioning institution submits a fully documented proposal to the Secretary of Higher Education OSHE staff, with the assistance of consultants who are mutually

acceptable to the institution and Secretary, conduct a review

of the proposal according to the procedures stipulated and the

criteria specified in N.J.A.C 9A:1-3 et seq For

information about the process for seeking university status, please contact the Office of Licensure at the OSHE

b OSHE staff provides the NJPC with all pertinent materials (the proposal, consultants’ report and recommendation, institution’s response) compiled on behalf of the subject institution, and the NJPC must then make a recommendation

to the Secretary within 60 days of receipt of the information

c Based on a review of the materials submitted, the AIC assesses whether the institution has satisfied the university status criteria specified in N.J.A.C 9A:1-3 et seq., and makes a recommendation to the Executive Committee or full NJPC

d OSHE staff provide the Secretary of Higher Education with the petition materials and the Presidents’ Council resolution, as well as a memorandum that summarizes the petition and the external

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consultants’ findings and recommendations The Secretary will then make a determination on the petition

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APPENDICES

A Academic Issues Committee Membership/Contact List

B Academic Issues Committee Meeting Schedule

C New Jersey Public and Independent Degree-Granting Institutions by

Mission Level

D Consultant Report Guidelines

E Program Proposal Format

F Program Announcement Cover Page

G New Program Checklist

H Converting Options/Concentrations Waivers

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Appendix A

NJPC - ACADEMIC ISSUES COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP/CONTACT LIST 2020

Michael Smith, President

Jill Upritchard: jes@berkeleycollege.edu

David M Stout, President Brookdale Community College

765 Newman Springs Road Lincroft, NJ 07738

Mobile 732-543-5130 732-224-2204

Rafael Castilla Executive Vice President 201-327-8877

rcastilla@eastwick.edu

Christopher Capuano, President

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Jeanne Mazzolla: mazzolla@fdu.edu

Joseph R Marbach, President Georgian Court University

900 Lakewood Avenue Lakewood, NJ 08701 732-987-2252 jmarbach@georgian.edu

Dr Lamont Repollet, President Kean University

1000 Morris Avenue Union, NJ 07083 908-737-7000 lrepollet@kean.edu PRESIDENT’S PERMANENT DESIGNEE:

Jeff Toney Provost and VP for Academic Affairs 908-737-7030

jefftoney@kean.edu Maris Henson: mhenson@kean.edu

Dr Jianping Wang, President

Mercer County Community College

Laureen Meyer: meyerl@mccc.edu

Mark McCormick, President Middlesex County College

2600 Woodbridge Ave

Edison, NJ 08818 732-906-2517 MmcCormick@middlesexcc.edu Sally D’Aloisio: 732-906-7700

gough@monmouth.edu

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Susan A Cole, President

Montclair State University

Valley Road and Normal Avenue

shenderson@njcu.edu

PRESIDENT’S DESIGNEE:

Nurdan Aydin Naydin@njcu.edu Jennifer Fitzgerald:

201-200-3003 jfitzgerald@njcu.edu aic@njcu.edu

Joel S Bloom, President NJIT

323 Martin Luther King Blvd University Heights

Newark, NJ 07102-1982

joel.bloom@njit.edu Margaret.kenrick@njit.edu

PRESIDENT'S DESIGNEE:

Basil Baltzis Vice Provost for Academic Affairs 973-596-3220

basil.c.baltzis@njit.edu

Michael McDonough, President

Raritan Valley Community College

Houshmand@rowan.edu

PRESIDENT’S PERMANENT DESIGNEE:

Roberta Harvey Vice President for Academic Affairs 856-256-5140

harvey@rowan.edu

Jonathan Holloway, President Rutgers, The State University of NJ Old Queens

83 Somerset Street New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1281 848-932-7454

president@rutgers.edu PRESIDENT’S PERMANENT DESIGNEE:

James Burkley Director of Compliance 848-932-7956

burkley@instlres.rutgers.edu

Jon Connolly, President

Sussex County Community College

1 College Hill Road

The College of New Jersey

PO Box 7718 Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 609-771-2101

foster@tcnj.edu

PRESIDENT’S PERMANENT DESIGNEE:

Dr Jeffrey M Osborn Vice President of Academic Affairs josborn@tcnj.edu

Jennifer Palmgren Assistant Provost Office of Academic Affairs palmgrej@tcnj.edu

Gem Perkins Assistant to the Provost Office of Academic Affairs perkinsg@tcnj.edu

Diana Gonzalez Interim Secretary of Higher Education Office of the Secretary of Higher Education

P.O Box 542 Trenton, NJ 08625-0542 609-292-4310

Diana.Gonzalez@oshe.nj.gov SECRETARY’S DESIGNEE: Eric Taylor, Esq

Director of Licensure 609-984-3738

eric.taylor@oshe.nj.gov

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Appendix B

NJ Presidents’ Council Academic Issues Committee

Meeting Schedule 2020-21

All AIC meetings will begin at 10:00 am The AIC will meet in person at New Jersey City University (directions will be provided ahead of the meetings) on Friday, May 21, 2021

All other AIC meetings will be via teleconference

Materials should be submitted to aic@njcu.edu Please ZIP files over 20mb, all requests will receive

acknowledgement by email by the material submission deadline

Friday, May 7, 2021

State law (N.J.S.A 18A:64A-1) restricts community colleges to programs of instruction that extend not more than two years beyond high school

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STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES:

Ed.D / Community College Leadership – 4/17

10/14

D.N.P./ nursing – 03/18 Name change to “University” approved 2/13/15

STATE COLLEGES: continued

offer:

D.N.P./ nursing – 07/15 Name change to “University” approved 12/21/15

offer:

D.N.P / nursing – 07/10 Psy.D / clinical psychology – 10/13

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PUBLIC RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES:

Ed.D./ educational leadership – 4/14

Name change to “University” approved 12/6/13

approved 4/28/16

4/95

Authorized to exceed mission to

offer:

D.N.P./ nursing – 11/11 D.B.A – 4/14

Name change to “University” approved 9/24/15

offer:

Psy.D./ school psychology – 1/19

offer:

D.N.P./ nursing – 04/11 Ed.D./ educational leadership – 5/07

Ed.D./ educational leadership – 5/07

Pillar College ( formerly Somerset Christian

Ed.D / educational leadership – 3/17

offer:

M.Rel.Ed / religious education

St Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological

Seminary

X

certificate in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics

offer:

B.S / diagnostic medical sonography – 4/13

B.S / dental hygiene – 7/17

B.S / health leadership – 1/19

Eastern School of Acupuncture and

B.S./ diagnostic medical sonography – 10/14 B.S./ diagnostic cardiovascular sonography – 10/14

Jersey College (formerly Center for Allied

Health and Nursing Education)

X